On the morning of October 12, Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) held the Opening Ceremony for the New School Year 2024-2025 and Inauguration Ceremony of the SAHEP-VNUA Project, a WB-ODA loan project.
Panorama of the ceremony
Attending the ceremony were General Secretary and President of Vietnam, H.E. To Lam; Mr. Tran Luu Quang, member of the Central Committee of the Party, head of the Central Economic Commission; Mr. Tran Hong Ha, member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Prime Minister; together with a number of leaders representing departments, ministries, central agencies, Hanoi city and leaders of some provinces; representatives of embassies, international organizations in Vietnam; leaders of the Department of Education and Training, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Science and Technology of some local provinces; university, enterprises. On the side of VNUA, there were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, VNUA president; Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Vien, chairman of the Science and Training Council; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Ngoc Huyen, Acting Chairman of Board of Trustees, Vice president of VNUA; leaders of affiliates, the Trade Union, the Youth Union, the Student Association, along with representative staff and about 1,000 excellent students of the university.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, VNUA president delivers the opening speech for the new school year 2024-2025
Delivering the opening speech, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan indicated that after 68 years of development, VNUA has made constant efforts, overcome numerous difficulties and challenges to affirm itself as one of the leading universities in training high-quality human resources for the country, especially in the field of agriculture and rural development. The University recognizes its responsibility in continuing to accompany the cause of agricultural development, constructing new rural areas in the new era when the whole nation strives to affirm the new stature and position of the country in the context of integration and globalization.
At the same time, she emphasized that the important and noble mission of the University is to train human resources to master advanced and modern technology, create new values to better exploit resources, increase the added value and competitiveness of agriculture, build ecological, green-modern agriculture adapting to climate change; a new green, beautiful, and prosperous countryside, a professional farmer class, imbued with Vietnamese culture.
With the strong support of the Party, the Government, National Assembly, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, relevant departments, ministries and the World Bank, the University has been invested the project: “Enhancing capacity in science and technology and human resources training to contribute to the national agricultural restructuring and new rural construction” (SAHEP-VNUA), under “Support for Autonomous Higher Education Project” (SAHEP) with a total capital of 58.7 million USD. It marks an important milestone in the 68-year development history of the University. The project has made incredible improvements in infrastructure, equipment for research rooms, practice rooms and management capacity, helping the University reach a new level to continue making significant contributions to the agricultural sector and the country in the new period," added Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan.
General Secretary and President, H.E. To Lam addresses at the Ceremony
On behalf of the Party and State leaders, General Secretary and President, H.E. To Lam sent his congratulations to the University and gave commands to the teachers and students in the coming time. He stated VNUA is one of the key universities in the country. Over the past 70 years, the University has trained for the country more than 120,000 cadres and managers, over 10,000 masters and more than 700 doctors, who have become main human resource for the nation’s outstanding achievements. In order for the University to become a prestigious higher education institution in the region and the world, VNUA needs to develop a comprehensive development plan with a proper roadmap to become a multidisciplinary research based university following the model of advanced research universities in the world.
He further stated VNUA is one of the first 6 universities trusted by the Government to implement pilot autonomy according to Resolution No. 77/NQ-CP dated October 24, 2014 of the Government. Autonomy is like a breath of fresh air, adding vitality and motivation to fundamentally and comprehensively innovate activities, constantly improve the quality of training, scientific research and serve society according to international standards and practices but always closely following the development practices of agriculture, science and technology and education in the country.
“Before coming here, I have visited the exhibition of products produced/or coproduced by VNUA and is very excited because I learn that now the university can be self-sufficient and self-supporting. Research projects with high production efficiency have been brought to localities and transferred to many businesses. Scientific research has been applied, products from the laboratory have been brought into real life. I think this model is very creative and has been successful for many years” said the General Secretary and President. According to him, the University ’s research has contributed to changing the “quality” of agricultural production, changing the face of the countryside and farmers’ lives. Research products such as rice varieties, vegetables, etc., are being welcomed by many farmers. Currently, with the cooperation of nearly 200 enterprises, 63 provinces and cities nationwide, over 200 universities and research institutes abroad, scientists of VNUA are implementing many important scientific and technological projects and will certainly continue to contribute more scientific achievements bringing our country's agriculture to an advanced level on par with the region and the world. "I am very pleased that 97% of students have jobs after graduating for about a year. Students have been proactive and confident in production and business, which requires the quality of training to meet the development of the agricultural sector," added the General Secretary and President.
General Secretary and President, H.E. To Lam presents a photo of Uncle Ho to the University
Student Hoang Anh presents flowers to VNUA President, Prof. Dr. Lan
Representing nearly 30,000 students of the University speaking at the Ceremony, student Hoang Anh, class K69LOGISE, majoring in Logistics and Supply Chain Management expressed his joy of representing freshmen speaking at this solemn Ceremony, which is the honor and pride of becoming a “VNUAer”. He believed that studying at VNUA, students will have the opportunity to study in a good condition, with professional lecturers and good classmates enabling them to accumulate good knowledge and grow to be better versions and become "Phoenixes" that can spread their wings in the vast blue sky, flying all over their homeland, the beautiful country of Vietnam.
General Secretary, President To Lam and delegates click buttons to inaugurate the SAHEP-VNUA project.
General Secretary and President To Lam visits exhibition of science, technology and innovation products
General Secretary and President To Lam and leaders of the Party, State plant a commemorative tree.
General Secretary and President To Lam writes on Guest Book
The 2024-2025 school year has officially started, teachers and students of Vietnam National University of Agriculture will continue to promote the tradition of a heroic university, compete in teaching, studying, researching, and innovating in order to achieve more outstanding achievements, continue to embellish the glorious tradition of the University , and well implement the advice of beloved Uncle Ho when he visited the University on May 24, 1959: "Solidarity, constant efforts for eternal progress"
Written by Nguyễn Trọng Tuynh – PC&SSC
Photos: Nguyễn Trung Đức - PC&SSC